Box construction



BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l I j /60.) C /6d [6d 160.

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GEO/Q65 H. HEFFEQ United. States Patent O 3,136,473 BOX CONSTRUCTION George A. Kielfer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Paper Mate Manufacturing Company, Santa Monica, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 247,141 Claims. (Cl. 22934) The present invention relates to improved construction of a box or receptacle which can be readily formed from a single, precut blank of sheet material, the resulting receptacle being strong and durable and having a finished appearance even though made from relatively light or thin stock which is calendered, decorated or printed only on one face. More particularly, the construction contemplates a receptacle or box having double or hollowwalls and an inner bottom, the hollow walls being adapted to receive a filler or inexpensive reinforcing element which imparts massiveness, strength and impact resistance without material increase in weight or cost and without impairment of the advantages which characterize the single blank construction, ease of formation without extraneous connecting means and tools, decorative effects, etc., of this invention. Folded box constructions are ancient in origin and varioustypes and methods of manufacturing them have been disclosed in the prior art. Many of. the prior boxes were constructed of corrugated card-board, but these are unattractive and it is diflicult to print decoration or advertising thereto. Prior boxes that could be printed on or decorated many times were unstable or too flexible to act as hollow display cartons. Prior boxes rigid enough to withstand continued use and handling required extraneous means for fastening them together such as glue, staples, tape or nails. Also, boxes requiring extraneous means for fastening them together required for their assembly additional steps and equipment other than the simple operation of only folding the box together.

The box construction of the present invention completely obviates the disadvantages of the prior boxes enumerated above. use of a single sheet of foldable material which has one finished, decorated or calendered surface in making. a receptacle or box provided with smooth, finished surfacing on all interior and exterior surfaces. The present box The present box construction permits the construction produces a rigid box using only a single sheet of foldable material with stiffening inserts in hollow walls, such box being virtually as rigid as one constructed from corrugated card-board. By being constructed from only a single sheet of foldable material which is printed or decorated on only one surface, the present box construction can be precut, prescored, preprinted or predecorated before assembly. Its unique construction permits the present box to be assembled rapidly on an assembly line and does not require additional equipment for its construction. The present box construction has the advantage of having a bottom liner which reinforces the bottom wall and also acts to secure the entire box in the completed box position.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a box construction that avoids all of the foregoing disadvantages of prior box construction.

3,136,473 Patented June 9, .1964

close and provide an improved box construction. whereby a box formed from a single paper-like sheet box blank is constructed in such a way so that the-elements of the box cooperate with each other to produce a self-containing structure, not requiring foreign means to fasten it together such as glue, staples, tape or nails.

A final object of the present invention is to disclose and provide as an article of manufacture a single sheet box blank adapted to be folded upon itself to form a rigid box construction.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the appended drawings.

In the drawings: 1

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary device of the present invention showing the completed box construction.

7 FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the device showing'the side and end walls in various unfolded positions.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken along line III-III of FIG. 1. Phantom lines illustrates the end walls in an unfolded position. 7

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line IVIV ofFIG. 1. Phantom lines illustrate the side walls in an unfolded position.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the precut and prescored single sheet box blank. Prescoring is shown by dashed lines.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 an exemplary box construction of the present invention 10 assembled from a precut and prescored single sheet box blank 11 (best seen in FIG. 5) and using a rectangular reinforcing insert 12 substantially the size and shape of the completed box construction and adapted to be received into the hollow walls of the completed box,-receptacle or container construction as best seen in FIG. 2.

The precut and prescored single sheet box blank 11 is made of a foldable sheet material, examples of Which would be coated papers, lightweight card-board, box stock or coated chipboard, bleached sulfite kra-ft chip board having an approximate thickness of between 0.012 inch and 0.030 inch being preferred. More importantly, the material selected should have at least one surface adapted to receive attractive printing, advertising or other decoration. The reinforcing insert or filler 12 is preferably thicker and of a more rigid material such as corrugated card board, foamed plastic or rubber depending on the size, weight and value of the items'to be packed into the 4 completed box.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose i The precut and prescored box blank 11 has a bottom or bottom'wall 13 with upper and lower surfaces 13a and 131), respectively, side wall sections 14 and 15 and end wall'sections 16 and 17. Side wall section 14 is identical to side wall section 15 except they are on opposite side edges of the bottom wall 13. A description of side wall section 14 also applies to side wall section 15. Side wall section 14 has a side wall outer portion or surfacing portion 14a formed by folding along score orfold line 14a to form the outer portion of a hollow side Wall,'a side wall top portion or surfacing portion 14b formed by folding along fold line 14b to form the top portion of a hollow side wall, a side wall inner portion or surfacing portion 14c formed by folding along fold line 14c to form the inner portion of the hollow side Wall, the side Wall inner portion having means for holding the side wall in the completed box position; an example of such means may be a side wall holding or hold-down tab 14d adapted to be folded inwardly along fold line 14d and lie along the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall 13, and corner tabs V J or finishing tabs 14:: formed by folding along fold line Me to form finished corners on the completed box construction.

End wall section 16 has an end wall outer portion or surfacing portion 16a formed by folding along fold line 16a to form the outer portion of a hollow end wall, and an end wall top portion or surfacing portion 16b formed by folding along fold line 16b to form the top portion of the hollow end wall, and an end wall inner portion or surfacing portion 16c formed by folding along fold line 160' to form the inner portion of the hollow end wall; The end wall inner portion 160 has means for retaining the end wall and side walls in the completed box position, an example of such means being end and side wall retaining tabs 16d adapted to be folded inwardly along fold lines 16d' to engage and lie along the side wall inner portions 140 and 15c. End wall section 17 has an end wall outer portion or surfacing portion 17a formed by folding along line 17a to form the outer portion of another hollow end wall, anend wall top portion or surfacing portion 17b formed by folding along fold line 17b to form the top portion of the second hollow end wall, and an end wall inner portion or surfacing portion 170 formed by folding along fold line 17c to form the inner portion of the second hollow end wall. The end wall inner portion 170 has means for securing the entire box in the completed box position, such securing means preferably being a bottom liner 17d which is somewhat smaller in area than the bottom wall 13. Such linermay be formed by folding along the discontinuous fold line 17d to form a bottom liner lying in contact with or in a plane parallel to but spaced from the top surface 13a of the bottom wall 13. The false bottom wall or liner 17d has one or more outwardly protruding precut positioning tabs 17e adapted to cooperate with the reinforcing insert or filler 12 to position the second hollow wall in the completed box position and one or more outwardly protruding precut locking tabs 17 adapted to cooperate with the first hollow end wall to lock the entire box in the completed box position 10.

The hollow wall reinforcing insert or filler 12 has side walls 12a and 12b and end walls 120 and 1201. The reinforcing insert 12 can be made integrally with an optional bottom wall reinforcing insert or filler 21, or the reinforcing insert 12 can be made and used separately since the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 is not essential to the completed box construction. The optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 is rectangular in shape and of substantially the same size as the bottom of the completed box, and can be of the same material as the hollow wall reinforcing insert 12, or any other suitable material. then the hollow wall reinforcing insert 12 and the bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 are formed integrally, one or more slots must be provided in end wall 12d of the reinforcing insert 12 near the bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 which is integrally connected to the end wall 12d to receive the end wall positioning tabs 17e.

The precut and prescored single sheet box blank 11 can be easily folded around the reinforcing insert 12 and the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 to form the hollow box construction 10 as best seen in FIG. 1.

The box is assembled by first laying the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert or filler 21 on the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall 13 of the single sheet box blank 11 as best seen in FIG. 2 (assuming the two inserts 12 and 21 are not formed integrally). The hollow wall reinforcing insert or filler 12 is then placed on top of the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21. The side wall outer portions 14a and 15a are folded along fold lines 14a and 15a respectively into an upright position putting the' side wall outer portions'14a and 15a into the completed box position adjacent to the hollow wall reinforcing i11 sert side walls 12a and 12b respectively. The side wall top portions 14b and 1512 are then folded inwardly along fold lines 14a and 15b so that the side wall top portions 14b and 15b are in a horizontal plane adjacent the top of the hollow wall reinforcing insert side walls 12a and 12b respectively in the completed box position. The side wall inner portions 140 and 150 and side wall holddown tabs 14d and 15d simultaneously are folded vertically downward along fold lines 140' and 15c and horizontally inwardly along fold lines 14d and 15d respectively so that the side wall inner portions 14c and 150 are in the completed box position adjacent the hollow wall reinforcing insert side walls 12a and 12b respectively and the side wall hold-down tabs 14d and 15d are in the completed box position engaging and lying along either the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 or the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall 13 if the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 is omitted. The corner finishing tabs 142 and '15s are folded inwardly along the now vertical fold lines 1% and 15a respectively, lying along the hollow wall reinforcing insertend walls and 12d in the completed box position. i a

The end wall outer portion 16a is then folded along fold line 16a into an upright position engaging the end wall finishing tabs 14a and 15s and lying along the hollow wall insert end 'wall 120 in the completed boX position. The end and side wall retaining tabs 16d are folded outwardly along the now vertical fold lines 16d. The end wall top portion 16b is folded inwardly along fold line 1612 into a horizontal plane adjacent the top of the hollow wall reinforcing insert end wall 120 in the completed box position. The end wall inner portion is then folded vertically downwardly along fold line 160' putting the end and side wall retaining tabs 16s into engagement with'the side walls inner portions 14c and 15c thereby retaining the side walls inner portions 14c and 15c in the completed box position and also retaining the end wall inner portion 160 in its completed box position adjacent the hollow wall reinforcing insert end wall 120. The end wall outer portion 17a is folded along fold line 17a into an upright position engaging the end wall finishing tabs Me and 15c and lying along the hollow wall insert end-wall 12d in the completed box position. The end wall top portion 17b is folded inwardly along fold line 17b into a horizontal plane adjacent the top of the hollow wall reinforcing insert end wall 12d in the completed box position. The end wall inner portion and the bottom liner 17d are simultaneously folded vertically downward along fold line 170' and horizontallyinwardly along the discontinuous fold line 17a" so that the end wall inner portion 170 is in the completed box position adjacent the hollow wall reinforcing insert end wall 12d and the bottom liner 17d is in the completed box position engaging the side wall hold-down tabs 14d and 15d and lying along either the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 or theupper surface 13a'of the bottom wall 13 if the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert is omitted. At this point the end wall positioning tabs 17a are set in place between the optional'bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 and the lower edge of the hol low wall reinforcing insert end wall 12d (assuming the two inserts are not made integrally). 17] are then set between the lower edge of end wall inner portion 16:: and either the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 or the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall 13 if the optional bottom wall reinforcing insert 21 is omitted. The bottom liner 17d and the locking tabs 17 secure the entire box in its completed box position 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

Thus, I have disclosed an economically made, attractive box, receptacle or container, readily adaptable to rapid assembly. It should be'noted that the unique construction of the box permits printing, advertising or decorating media to be applied to only one side to the single sheetbox blank before assembly. This allows the use of material that is smooth or calendered on only one side. The present invention also discloses a box that is virtually rigid using only thinj foldable materials.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the The locking tabs present invention are possible in the-light of the above teachings. For example, it is possible to modify the appearance of the box by making certain alterations in its construction. Thebox can be made to appear much heavier by widening the side wall top portions 14b and 15b. The side walls would then be thicker than the end walls. An advantage of this modification would be the added area on which printing or advertising could be affixed. This change, however, would also necessitate using a wider filler or reinforcing insert in these two walls. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A box construction made of a single blank sheet of material adapted to be folded and assembled into a completed box position having hollow walls, comprising:

a bottom wall having upper and lower'surfaces,

upstanding hollow side walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions; upstanding hollow end walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions;

each of said side walls including a hold-down tab integral with said side wall, extending inwardly from said side wall inner portions and lying along said upper surface of said bottom wall adapted to hold said side walls in the completed box position;

one of said end walls including retaining tabs integral with saidend wall extending inwardly from each vertical edge of said end wall inner portion and engaging said inner portions of each of said side walls adapted to retain that end wall and the adjacent side walls in the completed box positions,

the other said end wall including a bottom liner integral with said end wall extending inwardly from said inner portion of said end wall and located entirely between the inner portions of both end walls; said liner lying on top of said hold-down tabs, and the upper surface of said bottom liner including an integral locking tab arrangedto extend beneath an edge of the first mentioned end wall, whereby said bottom liner and said locking tab are the effective means for locking and retaining all of said side and end walls in the completed box position.

2. A box construction made of a single bla'nk sheet of material adapted to be folded and assembled into a completed box position having hollow walls, comprising:

a bottom wall having upper and lower surfaces,

upstanding hollow side walls integral with said bottom wall including outer and inner portions, upstanding hollow end walls integral with said bottom wall including outer and inner portions, each of said side walls including holding means integral with said side walls extending inwardly, from said side wall inner portions engaging said'upper surface of said bottom wall to hold said side walls in the completed box position,

one of said end walls including retaining means integral with said end wall extending inwardly from each of the vertical edges of said inner portion thereof engaging the inner portion of the side walls'for retaining that end wall and the adjacent side walls in the completed box position, i

the other said end wall including securing means integral with said end wall'extending inwardly from said inner portion thereof with the inner portion of each of said side walls extending between the outer portion of the respective side wall and the outer extremity of the securing means; said securing means lying on top of said holding means and engaging the inner portion of said first-mentioned end wall for securing the side and end walls in the completed box position,

whereby said securing means are the effective means 6 for locking and retaining all of said side and end walls in the completed box position. i 3. A box construction having the rigidity and strength of a box made from corrugated material and, made of a single blank sheet of smooth material adapted to be folded and assembledaround a reinforcing insert into a completed box position having hollow walls, comprising:

a bottom wall having upper and lower surfaces, upstanding hollow side walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions, upstanding hollow end walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions, a reinforcing insert provided within said hollow side and end walls, each of said side walls including holding means integral with said side walls extending inwardly from said side wall inner portionsengaging said upper surface of said bottom wall to hold said side walls in the completed box position, one of said end walls including retaining means integral with said end wall extending inwardly from each of the. vertical edges of said inner portion thereof engaging the inner portion of the side walls for retaining that end wall and the adjacent side wallsin the completed box position, v i the other said end wall including securing means integral with said end wall extending inwardly from said inner portion thereof with the inner portion of each of said side walls extending between the outer portion of the respective side wall and the outer extremity of the securing means; said securing means lying on top of said holding means and engaging the inner portion .of said first-mentioned end wall for securing the side and end walls in the completed box position, whereby said securing means are the effective means for locking and retaining all of said side and end walls in the completed box position, I advertising or decorations may be printed on or affixed to the visible surface of the smooth material andstill be clearly readable when the box is in the completed box position.

4. An open top receptacle and display container made from a single sheet of material having a finished face, comprising: v

a bottom having a downwardly directed finished face;

upstanding pairs of opposing end and side walls unitary with said bottom, each wall including an outer portion and an infolded inner portion whereby the finished face of said sheet material is exposed to View, said infolded inner portions on said opposing 7 side walls terminating in holding tabs lying in planes parallel to said bottom;

corner tabs carried by said outer wall portions of said pair of side walls, said corner tabs extending between said inner and outer portions of said pair of end walls; and

' a bottom liner integral with one of said pair of end walls, said bottom liner lying in a plane parallel to said bottom and overlying said holding tabs of said infolded inner portions of said side walls, and having a locking tab extending beneath an edge of the opposing infolded inner wall portion of said end wall, 7

said last named opposing infolded inner wall portion having wall retaining tabs adapted to engage said inner wall portions of adjacent side walls.

5. As an article of commerce, a unitary blank of sheet material adapted to be folded and interlocked to form a rigid box having hollow side and end walls capable of receiving a filler, comprising:

a sheet of material having a substantially rectangular bottom section delineated by side and end folded lines;

a side wall section extending beyond each side fold line,

each side wall section including outer, top and inner wall surfacing portions, and a marginal hold-down tab portion, in sequential order from the bottom section, 7

each side wall section including parallel fold lines parallel to said bottom section side fold lines to form said outer, top and inner wall surfacing portions and said hold-down tab portion,

an end wall section extending beyond each end fold line of said bottom,

each end wall section including outer, top and inner wall surfacing portions, in sequential order from the bottom section, I each end wall section including parallel fold lines parallel to said bottom section and fold lines to form said outer, top and inner wall surfacing portions, one of said end wall inner sections including laterally extending end and side wall retaining tabs, said end wall inner section including parallel fold lines perpendicular to said-bottom section end fold lines to form said end and side wall retaining tabs,

the other said end wall inner section being integral with a bottom liner of smaller area than said bottom section,

said second end wall inner section including a fold line parallel to said bottom section end fold lines to form said bottom liner,

said bottom liner including a marginal edge provided with looking tabs adapted to cooperate with the edge of the end wall inner surface portion of the first end wall section; I said single sheet of material being adapted to be folded along said fold lines to form a hollow walled opentop receptacle with a liner, double thickness bottom,

said single sheet of material having one smooth calendered face which, when said blank is folded. along said fold lines to form a hollow walled, open-top receptacle, provides a finished face to all interior and exterior surfaces of said receptacle.

6. An article of commerce as stated in claim 5, including:

positioning tabs struck from the material forming said latter-mentioned end walls inner surface portion, and the base of said positioning tabs terminating on said fold line forming said bottom liner.

7. An article of manufacture as stated in claim 6, including:

corner finishing tabs formed on the ends of each of said side wall outer surface portions by fold lines provided on each of said side wall outer surface portion perpenicular to said bottom section side fold lines,

each of said corner finishing tabs being spaced from adjacent end wall portions.

8. A box construction having the rigidity and strength of a box made from corrugated material and made of a single blank sheet of smooth material adapted to be folded and assembled around a reinforcing insert into a completed box position having hollow walls, comprising:

a bottom wall having upper and lower surfaces,

upstanding hollow side walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions, upstanding hollow end Walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions,

a reinforcing insert provided Within said hollow side and end walls, a inwardly extending corner finishing tabs integral with the outer portions of said side walls at the vertical with said side walls extending inwardly from said side Wall inner portions engaging said upper surface of said bottom wall to holdsaid side walls in the completed box position,

one of said end walls including retaining means integral With said end wall extending inwardly from each of the vertical edges of said inner portion thereof engaging the inner portion of the side walls for retaining that end wall and the adjacent side walls in the completed box position,

the other said end wall including securing means integral with said end wall extending inwardly from said inner portion thereof and cooperating with said hold-down tabs and the inner portion ofsaid first mentioned end Wall for securing the side and end walls in the completed box position,

whereby said securing means are the effective means for locking and retaining all of said side and end walls in the completed box position,

advertising or decorations may be printed on or affixed to the visible surface of the smooth material and still be clearly readable when the box is in the completed box position.

9. A box construction made of a single blank sheet of material adapted to be folded and assembled into a completed box position having hollow walls, comprising:

a bottom wall having upper and lower surfaces,

upstanding hollow side walls integral with said bottom wall including outer, top and inner portions, upstanding hollow end walls integral with said bottom Wall including outer, top and inner portions,

a reinforcing insert provided within said hollow side and end walls, each of said side walls including a hold-down tab integral with said side wall, extending inwardly from saidside wall inner portions and lying along said upper surface of said bottom wall adapted to hold said side walls in the completed box position; one of said end walls including retaining tabs integral with said end wall extending from each vertical edge of said end'wall inner portion and engaging, said inner portions of each of said side walls adapted to retain that end wall and the adjacent side walls in the completed box positions, the other said end wall including a bottom liner integral with said end wall extending inwardly from said inner portion of said end wall and cooperating with and lying on top of said hold-down tabs, and, the upper surface of said bottom liner including an integral locking tab arranged to extend beneath an edge of the first mentioned end wall, whereby said bottom liner and said locking tab are the elfective means for locking and retaining all of said side and end walls in the completed box position,

positioning means on the lower edge of the inner portion of the second-mentioned end wall and cooperating with said reinforcing insert provided within that hollow end wall for positioning and retaining that end wall in the completed box position.

10. A box construction as stated in claim 9 wherein said positioning means comprises:

positioning tabs prestruck out of said single sheet of material between said bottom liner and said inner portion of said second-mentioned end wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Williamson Oct. 2, 1956 

1. A BOX CONSTRUCTION MADE OF A SINGLE BLANK SHEET OF MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED AND ASSEMBLED INTO A COMPLETED BOX POSITION HAVING HOLLOW WALLS, COMPRISING: A BOTTOM WALL HAVING UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES, UPSTANDING HOLLOW SIDE WALLS INTEGRAL WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL INCLUDING OUTER, TOP AND INNER PORTIONS; UPSTANDING HOLLOW END WALLS INTEGRAL WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL INCLUDING OUTER, TOP AND INNER PORTIONS; UPSTANDING HOLLOW END WALLS INTEGRAL WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL INCLUDING OUTER, TOP AND INNER PORTIONS; EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS INCLUDING A HOLD-DOWN TAB INTEGRAL WITH SAID SIDE WALL, EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE WALL INNER PORTIONS AND LYING ALONG SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID SIDE WALLS IN THE COMPLETED BOX POSITION; ONE OF SAID END WALLS INCLUDING RETAINING TABS INTEGRAL WITH SAID END WALL EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM EACH VERTICAL EDGE OF SAID END WALL INNER PORTION AND ENGAGING SAID INNER PORTIONS OF EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS ADAPTED TO RETAIN THAT END WALL AND THE ADJACENT SIDE WALLS IN THE COMPLETED BOX POSITIONS, THE OTHER SAID END WALL INCLUDING A BOTTOM LINER INTEGRAL WITH SAID END WALL EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID INNER PORTION OF SAID END WALL AND LOCATED ENTIRELY BETWEEN THE INNER PORTIONS OF BOTH END WALLS; SAID LINER LYING ON TOP OF SAID HOLD-DOWN TABS, AND THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM LINER INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL LOCKING TAB ARRANGED TO EXTEND BENEATH AN EDGE OF THE FIRST MENTIONED END WALL, WHEREBY SAID BOTTOM LINER AND SAID LOCKING TAB ARE THE EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR LOCKING AND RETAINING ALL OF SAID SIDE AND ENDS WALLS IN THE COMPLETED BOX POSITION. 